Cash-for-vote scam: Congress declines comment on allegations
July 20th, 2011 - 10:34 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday refused to comment on allegations by Suhail Hindustani, an alleged middleman in the cash-for-votes scam, about the role of its leaders in the controversy, saying the issue was being probed by police and political parties should refrain from speaking on it.
“The issue was probed by a parliamentary panel. According to our information, the matter is pending in court. The court has passed some directions and the facts will be placed before it. Political parties should not comment on this and wait for the decision of court,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.
Hindustani told reporters Wednesday after being questioned by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police that Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, who was then in the Samajwadi Party, was the “main” man behind the 2008 cash-for-vote scandal. He also accused Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and other Congress leaders of involvement.
“Amar Singh had used Ahmed Patel in all this,” he said.
“Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel were working together and I helped them. There is nothing left in this case, it’s crystal clear,” he added.
Hindustani, who claims to be a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing member, also said he was called by those “close to” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The questioning of Hindustani came a few days after Amar Singh’s former aide Sanjeev Saxena was arrested by Delhi Police.
Saxena is alleged to have tried to bribe BJP MPs Ashok Argal, Mahavir Bhagora and Faggan Singh Kulaste into voting for the Manmohan Singh government in the 2008 trial of strength over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The trust vote followed withdrawal of support by the Left parties.
Bags filled with currency notes were shown in the Lok Sabha on July 22, 2008, minutes before a trust vote was to take place.
Hindustani was called to the Crime Branch office this morning for questioning. He was later arrested.
- Cash-for-votes middleman names Amar, Patel - Jul 20, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Order on bail plea of five accused Nov 16 (Lead) - Nov 14, 2011
- Cash-for-vote: Cops furnish CD transcripts to accused - May 26, 2012
- Cash-for-votes: BJP feliciates Kulkarni, other accused - Nov 19, 2011
- Amar Singh to be questioned on cash-for-votes - Jul 20, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: BJP MP booked; bail pleas of three put off - Oct 03, 2011
- Police response sought on bail plea of Amar Singh's ex-aide (Lead) - Nov 09, 2011
- Expose beneficiaries of cash-for-vote: Kulkarni - Nov 18, 2011
- Cash-for-votes scam: Sanjeev Saxena arrested - Jul 17, 2011
- Court pulls up cash-for-vote accused for wearing sunglasses - May 28, 2012
- Second arrest made in cash-for-votes case - Jul 20, 2011
- Ahmed Patel was mastermind behind cash-for-vote scam: Gadkari - Nov 18, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Court issues notice to Delhi Police (Lead) - Oct 31, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Government indeed tried to buy MPs, says BJP - Nov 17, 2011
- Cash-for-votes scam: Ex-BJP worker to be quizzed - Jul 19, 2011
Tags: ahmed patel, amar singh, argal, bharatiya janata party, congress leaders, congress president sonia gandhi, congress spokesman, crime branch, currency notes, Lok Sabha, mahavir, manmohan singh, nuclear deal, parliamentary panel, political secretary, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, rajya sabha, Samajwadi Party, trust vote